Home to roost
It’s with great enthusiasm that we are announcing “We have gone home to roost!” Not only are we in great new premises, but we are part of a most exciting initiative that uplifts and regenerates the urban and rural areas of Pontarddulais, Wales. It is an honour for us, as one of the UK’s growing project management companies, to make our mark and begin building an economic legacy in the region.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
Canolfan y Bont (‘ka’nolvan uh bont‘ – The Pontarddulais Centre ) is managed by its local charity, the Pontarddulais Partnership. Its objectives are to promote public benefits of urban and rural regeneration, socially and economically. Local people are encouraged to participate in this development, ensuring long-term sustainability for the area. By identifying collective needs and gaps in services, community members can involve themselves by developing solutions and implementing action plans.
Some of the charity’s initiatives are volunteer development, assistance with finding employment, applying for benefits, and accessing the food bank. It also focuses on supporting older residents to remain independent and establishing projects whereby young adults with learning disabilities can get involved and gain confidence. Overall, it aims to improve the quality of life for the community, developing services and promoting a sense of pride and community spirit.
Centre manager, Catherine Evans, is on hand to ensure that the Centre is very inclusive and staff always have time to respond to the needs of local residents. From help with filling out forms to applying for funding grants and then putting into place a programme of events to deliver, to the weekly warm space with soup and a chat, the Centre covers a wide spectrum of needs. Cardmaking groups, a sewing circle and IT for beginners are just a few of the courses offered in this nurturing environment.
Canolfan y Bont shines a light on Pontarddulais as an attractive place to live, that recognises historical influences, offers a range of quality services, and is a place that people choose to visit. This, in turn, supports and promotes economic development locally to ensure that there are adequate job prospects.
As a community centre, it’s improving communication and the involvement of community members, from old to young. It’s a social and economic hub at the grassroots level that through local participation, transforms the area, making locals proud to call it ‘home’.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Sitting down with Coron’s founder, Gerwyn Tumelty, he gave us some further insight into this strategic move.
1. Why have you decided to base the company at Canolfan y Bont?
We’ve always been committed to supporting the communities we work in and basing ourselves at Canolfan y Bont is the perfect embodiment of our values. The Pontarddulais Partnership manages the Centre and is the heart of the community, providing crucial services and bringing people together. By renting office space here, we’re able to directly invest in an organisation that’s uplifting the region, whilst we build our UK project management agency in this specific location.
Beyond that, the Centre is simply a great fit for our growing team. As we’ve expanded our contracts and brought on new staff members, I knew we’d soon outgrow my home office. The Centre has the ideal office setup for our needs – quiet, private spaces upstairs and vibrant common areas downstairs. With room to add more desks as we continue hiring, it provides the flexibility we need to scale sustainably.
And on a personal note, I’m thrilled to work so close to home. Canolfan y Bont is a quick walk or bike ride away, so I can easily be there for my family when needed. Working in a space embedded in the community aligns perfectly with our values of collaboration and empowerment. I’m excited to see what the future brings as we lay our foundations here.
2. How will the company benefit from being a part of the Centre?
Basing our operations at Canolfan y Bont plugs us into an incredible support network. In addition to the standard office amenities, we now have access to the staff’s administrative assistance – a huge help as we focus on growth. The Centre’s prime location also enables us to easily meet with the community partners and clients we serve across South Wales.
And importantly, the Centre offers room to grow, both literally and figuratively. With extra desk space in our office, we can bring on more in-house employees as our projects scale. We may also rent out coworking desks to expand our Projects community. Everything we need to take our company to the next level is right here.
Being part of Canolfan y Bont allows us to invest in our values. Employment is created for the Centre’s staff, and our rent money helps fund crucial programmes for the community. Embedding our office amongst the people and partners we serve fosters collaboration and innovation, it’s a natural extension of our mission to drive meaningful impact as a UK project management company.
3. What are you most looking forward to about the future in the new offices?
I’m thrilled to watch our company evolve and thrive in our new home. With the Centre’s support, we’re poised for sustainable growth. We’re currently hiring people to help deliver our expanded services. The opportunities to collaborate with community members and organisations are also exciting.
Our team is eager to make the space our own – adding branding, equipment, and furniture to reflect our personality. While we’ll maintain flexibility for our employees, the dedicated office enables us to collaborate in exciting new ways. It removes the pressure to always be “on” remotely, creating space for meaningful in-person interactions.
Most of all, I’m excited for the chance to further invest in the community that has invested so much in us. Everything we pour into the Centre will ultimately come back to uplift the community. My hope is that in 5 years, we’ll look back with pride at the jobs we created, the partners we empowered, and the people we helped through our work here. The future is very bright, and I can’t wait to grow together.
“This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Find out more about the Canolfan y Bont and how you can be part of this great initiative in Wales.
